broad\broad\ (&?;), a. [compar. broader (&?;); superl. broadest.] [oe. brod, brad, as. br&amacr;d; akin to os. br&emacr;d, d. breed, g. breit, icel. brei&?;r, sw. & dan. bred, goth. braids. cf. breadth.]1. wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; -- opposed to narrow; as, a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad.2. extending far and wide; extensive; vast; as, the broad expanse of ocean.3. extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full. "broad and open day." porteus.4. fig.: having a large measure of any thing or quality; not limited; not restrained; -- applied to any subject, and retaining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive. a broad mixture of falsehood.note: hence:5. comprehensive; liberal; enlarged. the words in the constitution are broad enough to include the case. daggett. in a broad, statesmanlike, and masterly way. everett.6. plain; evident; as, a broad hint.7. free; unrestrained; unconfined. as broad and general as the casing air.8. (fine arts) characterized by breadth. see breadth.9. cross; coarse; indelicate; as, a broad compliment; a broad joke; broad humor.10. strongly marked; as, a broad scotch accent.note: broad is often used in compounds to signify wide, large, etc.; as, broad-chested, broad-shouldered, broad-spreading, broad-winged.broad acres. see under acre.broad arrow, originally a pheon. see pheon, and broad arrow under arrow.

(superl.)
Wide; extend in breadth, or from side to side; -- opposed to narrow; as, a broad street, a broad table; an inch broad. (superl.)
Strongly marked; as, a broad Scotch accent. (superl.)
Plain; evident; as, a broad hint. (superl.)
Free; unrestrained; unconfined. (superl.)
Fig.: Having a large measure of any thing or quality; not limited; not restrained; -- applied to any subject, and retaining the literal idea more or less clearly, the precise meaning depending largely on the substantive. (superl.)
Extending far and wide; extensive; vast; as, the broad expanse of ocean. (superl.)
Extended, in the sense of diffused; open; clear; full. (superl.)
Cross; coarse; indelicate; as, a broad compliment; a broad joke; broad humor. (superl.)
Comprehensive; liberal; enlarged. (superl.)
Characterized by breadth. See Breadth. (n.)
The spread of a river into a sheet of water; a flooded fen. (n.)
The broad part of anything; as, the broad of an oar. (n.)
A lathe tool for turning down the insides and bottoms of cylinders.